


rest calm

by VolxdoSioda



Series: FFXV Kink Meme Fills [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fluff, King/Shield dynamics, M/M, Noctis doesn't care for storms, kinkmeme fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-12 17:09:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15999647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VolxdoSioda/pseuds/VolxdoSioda
Summary: There's too much sound, too much movement. Anything could happen out there, and nobody would be the wiser.In the dark of a thunderstorm, Noctis finds himself unable to think. Thankfully, Gladio is well-practiced in wrangling Noctis' wayward thoughts.





	rest calm

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: _Because we got a weather warning where I live and it got me thinking. What if the bros are making camp at one of the havens when there is a thunderstorm raging at night?_
> 
>  
> 
> _Who gets scared? Who keeps saying/second-guessing havens are safe? Are they even safe? Maybe Gladio or Ignis tell a story to calm one of the other bros down? Maybe they try to figure out how far away the thunderstorm is and get into arguments because they cannot recall the method properly? Do sexy times ensue because it's the only way they figure out to please Ramuh and make the scary thunderstorm go away? Does Ramuh make it go away because he is rather embarrassed by the orgy in his name and Shiva teasing him about?_
> 
>  
> 
> _I don't have any preferances for pairings or how much smut if any you incorporate, but kink-wise I do not want ABO, Mpreg and toilet stuff. Otherwise, make it cracky, make it funny, hell, make it sad if you want, just give me something to read about the bros during a thunderstorm._

"Looks like rain," Ignis says that evening, as he tucks the gil from their latest successful hunt away. "We'd best pack it in a bit early tonight."

"I can get behind that," Noctis agrees, and it's settled from there. The clouds look fat and heavy with rain, ready to burst at a moment's notice. It's been a couple months since a good storm rolled in through the region, so to some degree he's looking forward to it.

Their enthusiasm quickly flies out the window when, halfway through Gladio telling them a stupid story of their training days as they eat dinner, a rumble of thunder lights the skies above them, and in the distance lightning cracks.

"Oh shit," Prompto says, a second before the clouds open up and it starts pouring.

They clamber into the tent as the winds pick up, and Gladio remarks dryly, "I'm thinking it might be time for bed."

A wonderful idea, one everyone had quickly fallen in on. Except that had been hours ago. The sky was dark now, the storm in full swing, and Noctis was wide awake, staring into the darkness of the tent, listening to the quiet breathing of those around him.

He's never been able to sleep through storms. It isn't fear, it's just... unease. A sense of dread down the spine, as precise as a knife. It doesn't matter to his brain that Gladiolus is at his back, an arm slung over his hip, or that Prompto is between him and Ignis, and they've all got the senses of wild bloodhounds and will snap awake if something goes off or wrong. He's wide awake in the darkness, his brain racing a thousand miles an hour, and all he can thinks is  _there's probably something outside the tent, waiting._

Especially with the sounds. It's so loud - whose to say anyone would wake in time?

He digs fingers across the floor of the tent, feels more than hears the soft hiss of cloth against his fingers. He can feel the vibrations of the storm even through the stone, and if anything that only makes it worse. There could be an Iron Giant bearing down on them, and none of them would know it because Ramuh's making things  _so loud._

He doesn't realize how frantically he's begun to scratch at the floor until suddenly the hand on his hip moves, catching and clasping his hand on the floor, and Gladio's shifting over him, mouth right by his ear. "Some of us are trying to sleep, Princess."

He gasps, jerking, but Gladio holds him firm. "S-sorry," he mumbles back, but the words are lost in the roar. He tries to tuck himself small, turning away, but Gladio hooks his chin over Noctis' shoulder and lets his body follow Noctis'. Squirming does him no good; Gladio's well-practiced in catching him. 

"Talk to me," Gladio says, and he's speaking normally, but his voice sounds like a whisper to Noctis. Prompto's still snoring away, and Ignis hasn't budged. "What's got you so twitchy?"

"It's nothing."

"Bullshit. You've been twitching for hours now. Have you even slept?"

He swallow back the immediate  _no,_ and settles for, "A little."

He hisses in the next instant as Gladio's body presses against his own, the man dropping his weight a little more fully onto him as punishment. "Liar," Gladio growls. "Noctis, we can't have you stumbling around sleepless. Now, tell me what's got you awake, or I'm going to start down the list of ways to put you out."

Noctis feels his face burn at that. A few times over the years Gladio's... stepped  _in_ as his position as Shield. Not just protecting him from assassins, but protecting him from  _himself._ Ripping the control out of Noctis' hands and destroying every last tendril of control he has until obedience is all he can manage. Until Gladio has him completely in hand, and Noctis isn't Prince Noctis anymore. The times he has to do that now are few and far between - their last close encounter with that hadn't ended sexually, simply because at the time they'd been running away from Titan. But Gladio had reminded him all too clearly of what he was, what he was prepared to do to make sure Noctis could function.

In the face of that, and because he doesn't feel like being taken apart piece by piece, Noctis grudgingly lets the truth out. "I just can't sleep."

He can feel Gladio waiting for an explanation. So he takes in a deep breath, and just... talks.

"I just. Think that if something's out there, none of you would hear it, or see it, or probably even feel it with all the noise going on."

"You think something's out there?" Gladio asks, and Noctis can picture one of his brows raising itself.

"Not... necessarily? I just. Think. What could be. What might be. It's always been like this for me with storms. It's just a really vulnerable period, and I don't--"

He stops, because Gladio covers his mouth. He glances up at the man, trying to gauge his reaction to learning his king is a coward. In the dark, it's hard to see, but he can make out Gladiolus' expression somewhat - the little downturn of his mouth, the softer expression in his eyes. 

"What did I tell you, back at the Disk?"

His cheeks burn, but he mumbles against Gladio's hand, "That if I couldn't think, you'd think for me."

"Yeah. So next time, say something. I'm your Shield, Noctis."

"I just... it's stupid, and I'm being a coward--"

"You're not being a coward," Gladio growls, and Noctis gasps as the man picks him up and bodily  _rolls_ him so he's laying on top of Gladio. "You're being practical, and thinking like a king. Sometimes that means seeing where threats  _might be,_ not where they are. But now isn't the time for those thoughts."

He sets a gentle hand against the back of Noctis' neck, fingers careful as he rubs up and down the vein on the side. Noctis shivers in his grasp, and lets himself go limp. He can trust Gladio to know what he needs.

Gladio scoots him until his head's directly over the man's heart, and even through the cloth of his shirt he can hear it's steady thump. Gladio keeps a hand on the back of his neck, stroking up and down and fiddling with the baby hairs on the nape of his neck while the other wraps around him, keeping him safe and still. It feels incredible, and Noctis lets his eyes slide shut, lets himself be lured in by the sound of Gladio's steady heart.

"So long as this heart beats," Gladio says, and even with the storm raging, he can hear the words like a bell. "Nothing will take you from this world. Or us from you. We are  _yours,_ Noctis. And we will walk with you to the ends of the world if need be."

Noctis kind of wants to say something, but the steady  _thump-thump_ is luring him down, and the warmth of Gladio's body is leeching into his own, relaxing him. He can barely open his eyes now. 

Gladio brushes a kiss across his forehead, his eyes, the bridge of his nose. "My king," he says, the same way he's heard Regis say  _my Aulea_ to his mother when he was younger. He shivers, and tucks his face against Gladio's throat. Raises his arms and holds on to Gladio's shoulders.

He falls asleep like that, the storm fading to nothing in the background as Gladio's heartbeat leads him towards the dawn.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Aww."

Noctis twitches. He's so warm. Gladio feels perfect, and he  _really_ doesn't want to move. But he knows that clicking means pictures, which means blackmail for later.

"Cute, aren't they?" Ignis voice is hushed. "I was wondering if Noctis would be able to sleep confortably, but it seems Gladio has handled it as he usually does."

"Eh? Does he have like, a fear of storms or something?"

"Not a fear, just a dislike of them. He usually stays up worrying unless Gladio puts him down or I talk him to sleep. In the past, it was with stories. Now we talk about meetings and the past, and simple things. But I suspect, given the recent stresses, this was all he needed."

"Yeah, Gladio's hugs are amazing."

Ignis chuckles. "That they are. Now come, you can help me prepare breakfast. We'll let them sleep a little longer."

The tent flap closes, and Noctis hums a sigh of contentment, snuggling closer to his Shield. Gladio's grip tightens on him, and he murmurs,  _"Noct,"_ before settling again. 

Noctis falls back asleep after that, and the dreams are pleasant ones.


End file.
